Kerala Police chief returns SIT report, seeks more answers in 2023 Alappuzha assault case

Thiruvananthapuram, July 14
Kerala State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar has returned the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the alleged 2023 assault on Youth Congress workers by the gunmen of the then Chief Minister in Alappuzha, directing investigators to provide greater clarity on certain findings and conduct further investigation before resubmitting the report.

While the police security officials attached to the then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have been suspended, there has been a delay in looking into the report submitted by the SIT against ADGP M.R. Ajithkumar, considered close to former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The State Police chief reportedly identified specific portions of the report that require further elaboration and has asked the SIT to furnish additional details.

Investigators have also been instructed to carry out supplementary inquiries wherever necessary and submit the revised report at the earliest.

The development comes at a politically sensitive time, with growing discontent within the Congress party over the delay in taking a decision on the findings against Ajith Kumar.

The SIT is understood to have concluded that the senior police officer attempted to derail the investigation into the assault case, though no action has yet been initiated against him.

The delay has assumed added significance as Ajith Kumar is among the senior-most IPS officers due to be considered for promotion to the rank of Director General of Police.

The vacancy is expected to arise following the retirement of a serving DGP on July 31, making the government's decision on the SIT report politically and administratively crucial.

The issue has triggered strong reactions from within the Congress.

AICC General Secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal has publicly said this was a serious issue and expected the state government to look into it.

State Health and Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan has also sought prompt action.

Several other Congress leaders have echoed similar sentiments, arguing that any further delay could undermine public confidence in the government's commitment to accountability.

State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, however, has consistently defended the government's cautious approach.

He has maintained that there would be no undue haste or knee-jerk action, stressing that any decision must be based on a thorough examination of the evidence and the applicable legal provisions.

The Minister has argued that a premature decision, without proper application of mind, could weaken the government's case if challenged before the judiciary, making it imperative that the process withstand legal scrutiny.